Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domainWithin Massachusetts, Adams is healthier than 8% of graded towns
Adams trails Massachusetts on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01220. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Adams
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Adams
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.9%), vs 5.9% across Massachusetts. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (8%), vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. Stroke is also above the state: 4%, vs 3% across Massachusetts. In all, Adams runs above Massachusetts on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
In Adams, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 5.2% of working-age adults are uninsured (Massachusetts 5.2%), yet 20.1% say their health is fair or poor, vs 16.3% across the state. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Adams
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.9%), vs 11.3% across Massachusetts. Habits ↓
Adams is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Adams is healthier than 45%. Against the 8,635 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 72%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Massachusetts figure falls outside Adams’ likely range; Adams’ figures come from ZIP code 01220, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Adams’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Adams is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns, #256 of 279 in Massachusetts. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 70% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 17%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Adams’ median household income is $58,929; among the 8,635 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 72%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Adams adults…
Adams runs above MA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Adams is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Adams as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Adams adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
50 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
Care in and near Adams
1 community health center in Adams, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Adams; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Adams adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Adams runs above Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Adams adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.4% of Adams adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Adams and the towns around it
Adams’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | B− | 33.2% | 11.3% | 15.9% | ZIP 01220 |
| Williamstown | A | 26% | 8.1% | 8.4% | ZIP 01267 |
| New Ashford | — | — | — | — | |
| North Adams | C | 33.8% | 11.7% | 16.8% | CDC place |
New Ashford: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Adams adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Adams
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Adams is better than Massachusetts on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Adams’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Adams | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.1%17.5–23.1 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.5–17.4 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%17–21.4 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.2%27.6–39.3 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.3%9.7–13 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%31.2–38.7 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.3%32.6–40.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.3%28.1–34.6 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.7%11.3–14.3 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.1–11 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.1–8.8 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.6–4.3 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.9%13.7–20.4 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.9%13.5–18.5 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%20.7–28.8 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.6–19.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%31.8–42.3 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.3–6.2 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%77.2–83.1 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.4%64–70.7 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.6%87–90 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%74.8–80.5 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.2%64.6–73.7 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%66.9–81.5 | 83.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.3%23.8–31.1 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.8%29.4–38.7 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%20.9–28 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14%11.8–16.5 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.5%9.8–13.4 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.1%7–9.4 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.4%15.7–21.5 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%29.4–37.8 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.1–17.4 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%14.6–18.8 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7.1–8.9 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Massachusetts figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Adams
Is Adams a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Adams is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #256 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 72%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Adams?
CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.6% and 39.3%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Adams?
North Adams Regional Hospital Corporation in North Adams, 5.6 miles in a straight line from Adams’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Adams have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6.2%), against 5.2% across Massachusetts.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Adams more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Adams.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Massachusetts figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.